Method of making a metamaterial device

Abstract

An optical sensor system, comprising refractory plasmonic elements that can withstand temperatures exceeding 2500° C. in chemically aggressive and harsh environments that impose stress, strain and vibrations. A plasmonic metamaterial or metasurface, engineered to have a specific spectral and angular response, exhibits optical reflection characteristics that are altered by varying physical environmental conditions including but not limited to temperature, surface chemistry or elastic stress, strain and other types of mechanical load. The metamaterial or metasurface comprises a set of ultra-thin structured layers with a total thickness of less than tens of microns that can be deployed onto surfaces of devices operating in harsh environmental conditions. The top interface of the metamaterial or metasurface is illuminated with a light source, either through free space or via an optical fiber, and the reflected signal is detected employing remote detectors.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of making a metamaterial device comprising:
 forming a spacer over a base, wherein the base comprises at least one of ZrN, HfN, or TiN; 
 forming a plasmonic nanostructure over the spacer, wherein the plasmonic nanostructure comprises at least one of ZrN, HfN, or TiN; 
 wherein a thickness of the spacer is configured to be less than a wavelength of an incident light; and 
 wherein a thickness of the base is configured to be larger than the equivalent of a skin depth of the incident light in the base. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises at least one of SiN x , Al 2 O 3 , AlN, BN, SiO 2 , HfO 2 , HFSiO x , HFSiON, ZrO 2 , or La 2 O 3 . 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the base ranges from the equivalent of 2 skin depths to 3 skin depths of the incident light in the base. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plasmonic nanostructure comprises a first ratio ranging from 10 −3  to 10, wherein the first ratio comprises a ratio of height over width. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 1 nanometer (nm) to 300 nm, and a width of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 30 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
       6. A method of making a metamaterial device comprising:
 forming a spacer over a base; 
 forming a plasmonic nanostructure over the spacer; 
 wherein a thickness of the spacer is configured to be less than a wavelength of an incident light; 
 wherein a thickness of the base is configured to be larger than the equivalent of a skin depth of the incident light in the base; and 
 wherein the plasmonic nanostructure comprises a first ratio ranging from 10 −3  to 10, wherein the first ratio comprises a ratio of height over width. 
 
     
     
       7. The metamaterial device of  claim 6 , wherein a height of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 1 nanometer (nm) to 300 nm, and a width of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 30 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
       8. A method of making a metamaterial device comprising:
 forming a spacer over a base; and 
 forming a plasmonic nanostructure over the spacer; 
 wherein a thickness of the spacer is configured to be less than a wavelength of an incidental incident light; 
 wherein a thickness of the base is configured to be larger than the equivalent of a skin depth of the incident light in the base. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the spacer comprises at least one of SiN x , Al 2 O 3 , AlN, BN, SiO 2 , HfO 2 , HFSiO x , HFSiON, ZrO 2 , or La 2 O 3 . 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the base ranges from the equivalent of 2 skin depths to 3 skin depths of the incident light in the base. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the base comprises at least one of ZrN, HfN, or TiN. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein a height of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 1 nanometer (nm) to 300 nm, and a width of the plasmonic nanostructure ranges from approximately 30 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plasmonic nanostructure comprises at least one of ZrN, HfN, or TiN.